Upstream Services

Responsive Upstream Solutions 

From Wellhead to Transportation Interconnect

From its Energy Services office located in the heart of the Appalachian Basin and the prolific Marcellus and Utica Shale formations, EARTHRES is positioned to provide responsive solutions for its upstream segment clients.  The upstream segment, extending from the wellhead through surface facilities to the interconnect with gathering or transmission transportation pipelines, is a fast-paced segment not generally subject to the regulations applicable to the midstream, downstream, and LNG segments.  EARTHRES’ team of engineers, designers, geologists and others stand ready to assist or lead your projects focused on new well pad development, existing well pad expansion, operations optimization, and well pad abandonment.

Well Pad Design & Site Development

Our civil, structural, and mechanical engineers, along with our geologists, geotechnical experts, and others will work with you to develop a well pad layout for today and tomorrow.  These services may include all or any of the following:

• Site Development Permitting – EARTHRES has the resources to support all well pad permitting associated with site development. These permits vary from state to state and typically involve items specific to adjacent property owner protections and environmental requirements.  EARTHRES’ experienced permitting staff can help you navigate this potentially complex permitting path.
• Access Roads – Road improvements are often required to allow large trucks to access the well pad site. EARTHRES brings significant road improvement experience to your project, from relatively simple overlays for a few hundred feet of road to complete full depth replacements for miles of roadway.  We typically use Autodesk® AutoCAD® Civil 3D software to produce a drawing set for bidding, construction, and as-built documentation.
• Impoundments – It is likely that your well pad development will require one or more impoundments for freshwater and used water. EARTHRES can engineer and design your impoundments whether earthen, modular, stationary, or moveable.
• Mechanical Equipment – EARTHRES’ mechanical and process engineers will design the gas containing facilities needed, in accordance with your required level of engineering and documentation. We typically use Autodesk® AutoCAD® Plant 3D software to produce a drawing set for bidding, construction, and as-built documentation.  Equipment is typically specified, engineered, sized and designed in accordance with API (American Petroleum Institute) and/or ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards and may include:
  • Primary Choke Valve(s)
  • ESD (Emergency Shutdown) Valve(s) and Controls
  • Sand Separator(s)
  • GPU(s) (Gas Production Unit(s))
  • Condensate Storage Tank(s)
  • Dehydration Unit(s)
  • Vapor Recovery Unit(s)
  • Heater/Treater Unit(s)
  • Truck Loading Station
  • Ground or Elevated Flare(s)
  • Custody Transfer Measurement and Regulation
• Operations Permitting – Should the well pad require equipment that produces exhaust or other emissions such as a dehydration system, fired heater, or engine-driven compressor, EARTHRES has the resources to support the acquisition of permits to install and permits to operate the emissions-producing equipment. We use GRI-GLYCalc^TM, PROMax^TM, and other modeling software as required by permit application.

Well Pad Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) and Operations Support

Once a well pad is under construction, EARTHRES can provide experienced construction inspection personnel to ensure the construction is completed in conformance with the design plans.  While our CQA services typically involve stationing an inspector on site full time at the beginning of construction, we will tailor the CQA services to meet your company needs and requirements.  Using EARTHRES to provide your CQA services ensures that a knowledgeable third-party is looking out for your interests at all times.  EARTHRES CQA services are available to clients regardless of whether EARTHRES or another vendor developed the well pad engineering and design construction drawing package.

EARTHRES also offers operations support including commissioning and startup services as well as documentation for existing facilities.

• Commissioning and Startup Services – Once a well pad is constructed, EARTHRES can provide experienced operations personnel to assist with or lead the commissioning and startup procedures. While our commissioning and startup services typically involve stationing an engineer or technician on-site full time at the beginning of commissioning, we will tailor the commissioning and startup services to meet your company needs and requirements.  Using EARTHRES to provide your commissioning and startup services ensures that a knowledgeable third-party is looking out for your interests at all times.  EARTHRES commissioning and startup services are available to clients regardless of whether EARTHRES or another vendor developed the well pad engineering and design construction drawing package.

• As-Built Drawings for Existing Facilities – Should you have an existing upstream facility for which you do not have adequate documentation, EARTHRES can generate an as-built drawing set. Our experts use the latest laser scanning equipment to produce an accurate three dimensional (3D) model of the above ground equipment, piping, structures, and other features.  The 3D model can then be used to produce two dimensional (2D) plan, elevation, and isometric drawings.  The produced drawings, either 2D, 3D, or both, can then be used to document the existing facility and serve as the backdrop for future additions, prepare safety analyses, meet permit requirements and a host of other applications.

Whether your production is focused on conventional vertical wells in long-lived formations or unconventional wells in the Marcellus or Utica formations, EARTHRES has what it takes to ensure successful well pad facility design and operation.

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